Sheet separator



Jan.2, 1940. GSPIESS s 2,185,652

SHEET SEPARATOR Filed Sept. 13, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Invent-0r Georg Jpless a)? r By Aflorneys G. SPIESS SHEET SEPARATOR Jan. 2, 1940.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 13, 1938 In vemor Geo/ g 'f o Less A flal'neys Jan. 2, 1940. I sp ss 2,185,652

SHEET SEPARATOR Filed Sept. 13, 1938' 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 I Geo/:7 d odes:

y Z7IMWyW A horneys Jan. 2, 1940. p 2,185,652

SHEET SEPARATOR Filed Sept. 13, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 2s lnvenior Geeky J o e ess y lags/7th.

Azlorneys Patented Jan. 2, 1940 PATENT OFFICE amass: slim-1r snrm'ron Georg Spices, Lelpllt; German App cation September 13, 1938, Serial No. 229,788 In Germany September 18, 1937 Claims. (Cl. 2-11-27) The present invention relates to a device for lifting oi! the uppermost sheet of a staple or pile of sheets of paper or similar materials by means of a sheet catcher, which is moved upward and forward and, reversely, rearward and downward;

The known devices for performing this combined gripping movement in sheet layers are of relatively complicate construction and comprise a great number of individual parts, so that the manufacture of the same is expensive and the parts are rapidly worn. Moreover, the known devices need careful attendance when in operation w and frequently cause breakdown of service.

of the sheet catcher needed for lifting off the sheets are achieved in a simple manner by means of very few parts, whereby simultaneously a fas- 'ter working of the device is achieved.

For this purpose the novel sheet catcher is for its movement in two points carried and guided by swivel arms or levers. According to the invention the sheet catcher may, in order to enable it to perform the required movements, for instance on the one hand carried and controlled by a swivel arm, which is positively controlled by an ec= cen ric, a cam disc or similar means, and on the other hand by one or more additional swivel I arms. The inventive idea mayfor instance aduvantageously be carried into effect by arranging the sheet catcher on two-arms, which are swingable about stationary shafts, and guide the sheet catcher in such a manner by means of the said arms that it performs its movements bei i tween the two shafts, which are arranged one above the other. According to another embodiment of the invention the sheet catcher is on one side guided through a link of an articulated parallelogram or'pantograph, arranged above the I i pile of sheets. The former embodiment is particularly well suited for sheet catchers, which attack the front edges of the sheets, whilst the other embodiment is adapted to attack the pile in any point of' the same, in the direction in which the sheets are moved. The last mentioned device may also be displaceably arranged above the pile of sheets, f0r instance in slide guides. In both embodiments the-various phases of the movements can be freely observed, and all movable parts are easily accessible.

Another feature of the present invention is that the sheet catcher is on one side guided by an arm or a link of a pantograph, pivotally arranged on a stationary shaft, in such a manner that the suction catcher at the beginning of its upward Through the present invention the movements movement, in order to avoid undesired displacements, is moved through a short distance in a direction opposite to that in which the sheets are conveyed.

In order that the sheet catcher or the suction 5 catcher may perform adjustable tipping movements immediately above the pile of sheets, the suction catcher is according to the invention linked to the suction catcher and its position is determined by a spring and two stops on the sheet catcherand on the suction catcher, respectively, whilst a second abutment arm on the suction catcher cooperates with a stop, which is rotatable or adjustable also when the apparatus is working.

Two embodiments of the invention are illustrated schematically by way of example in the accompanying drawings. All parts, which are not necessary for the understanding of the invention, have been omitted.

Fig. 1 shows the most important parts of a sheet catcher according to the invention in latera1 view.

Fig.- 2 is a plan view of the same parts.

Figs. 3-5 show three successive working steps of the means for moving the sheet catcher durmg the lifting of a sheet. I

Fig. 6 shows diagrammatically the movements of the means which move the sheet catcher in the form of a simple pantograph.

Fig. 7 is an elevational view of the moving means showing these means with the sheet catcher in the position for suction.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the same arrangement. Figs. 9 and 10 show the means for moving the sheet catcher in the other embodiment of the invention, in two additional successive working stages, including a driving arm and a link system comprising a pantograph.

In Figs. 1-6, showing the first embodiment of the invention, I denotes thepile of sheets, 2 the abutments for the pile, 3 the separation blower and the driving drum 4, which feeds the sheets to the stop-numbers of the machine by means of conveyor belts 8, which run over the supply table 5. The drum 4 shown is a suction conveyor drum, but the same may of course be replaced by a conveyer drum of the usual kind, to which the delivered sheets are pressed by controlled pressure rollers, so-called timed rollers. In as far the device is known. The shaft I of the roller 4 is arranged in bearings in the walls of the machine frame 8, which also carry a control shaft 9, a so called one-turn shaft, which like the drum 4 may be driven by any convenient means (not shown). I On the control shaft 0 an' eccentric II is located, 6

.1 of the drum 4, and guidesthe link II insuch iii) a manner that, when the roller i2 reciprocates,

the link I5 is reciprocated in the space between the bolt l4 and the shaft I. The link it has a downwardly directed elongation II, which ejxtends beyond the joint between the rocking lever ii and the link It and together with the latter forms the sheet catcher. A link system 12, II,

ii, I! is arranged on both sides of the pile i and the drum 4. The arms ll of the rocking levers I carry a rotatable tubular suction rod Ill, which again carries series of suction catchers or grippers ll. The rod I! has a projection and stands under the influence of a torsion spring 2i, which is located on the rod. The spring strives to move the rod I! in such a direction that the projection 20 of the same abuts against a stop 22 on the part I! of the lever IS. The rod 19 also carries an arm 23, which cooperates with an abutment bolt 24, adiustably arranged in the wall I of the frame.

In the position shown inFig. 3 the suction nozzles I! contact with the surface of the pile and are held in a position in which their suction faces form an angle with the pile surface, because the arm 23 of the suction rod l9 rests on the stationary bolt 24. In the course of the movements of the link system the nozzles it are lifted from the pile i and under theinfluence of the spring 2| moved into a vertical position. until the stops 20, 22 of the suction rod i9 and the arm I! 'of the lever is abut against each other. Fig. 1 shows this position of the suction rod is.

During the continued movement the linksystem is brought into the positions shown in Figs. 4 and 5. -Fig. 4 shows the position of the links in which the front edge of the sheet is .lifted over the abutment mouldings to the pile, and Fig. 5 shows the final position, in which the nozzles ll deposite the sheet on the suction drum .4, which is driven by the belts Fig. 8 shows diagrammatically the curves of movement of the joints or the um: system and the substantially horizontal position of the suction nozzles during their forward movement.

The members i2, i5, ll of the link system are hollow and connects'the tubular suction rod II with the conduit leading to the suction pump. The joints connecting these members are therefore also made hollow.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 'l-10 a suction catcher 25 is directly attached to one end of a carrier 26 forming the sheet catcher, the

other end of which is pivotally connected to a roller arm 21. The other end of the arm2l ispivotally connected to a bolt 2. fixed to the wall 2 of the machine frame, and the roller 2! enarouses gages the periphery 'of the eccentric it, which is arranged on the control shaft 9. The sheet catcher is also connected to thearm It of a lever 3i, which is guided by rocking levers 32, 38,, pivotally connected to the wall 4 of the frame. 5

In this embodiment all joints of the link system are located above the pile I, so that the system can be made slidable and moved over the pile, if desired in the direction in which the sheets are moved, so that the suction nozzles 25 may at- 10, tack the sheets in any point. Fig. 9 shows the link system in an intermediate position and Fig. 10 in the other final position. In the latter fisure the path described by the suction members is indicated by the curve 34. s

I claim:

1. A device for lifting off the uppermost sheet from a pile of sheets comprising a sheet gripper, a pairof levers cooperating with said gripper, means for positively moving one of said levers, and at least one abutment against which said other lever abuts to move the said other lever, said levers rocking around two points to impart an upward and forward and reversely rearward and downward movement of the gripper to feed the sheets one by one from the pile.

2. A device according to claim 1, in which the means and the abutment comprise two stationary shafts and the movement of the gripper takes place between the two shafts. 30

3. A device according to claim 1, in which a link of a pantograph control is provided to guide the gripper on one side.

4. A device according to claim 1, in which means are provided for sliding the device overr3 the pile of sheets and permitting the gripper to grip the pie in any desired point in the direction of movement of the sheets.

5. A device according to claim 1, in which a rocking lever and a stationary shaft are provided 4 so that the sheet gripper is guided on one side in such a manner that the gripper when its upward movement begins,- performs a small movement in a direction opposite to that in which the sheets are moved. w;

6. A devicefor lifting of! the uppermost sheet from a pile of sheets comprising a sheet gripper,

a pair of levers cooperating with said gripp r, means for positively moving one of said levers, at least one abutment against which said other lever gm abuts to move the said other lever, said levers rocking around two points to impart an upward and forward and reversely rearward and downf ward movement ofthe gripper to feed the sheets" one by one from the rule, a suction catcher linked 

